After dinner , same day.

" Wow , Boudi. This smells so good." Shetukala said as she smelled the scented candles.

"I know, right. Barrister Babu loves it's smell. He is very fond of fragrances."

"Oh! You are doing this for Dada?" She asked curiously.

"Obviously. Why else?" Said Bondita as she arranged the coloruful scented candles in the shallow broad mouthed glasses.

"Is his birthday today?"

"No Shetukala. It's just... his mind relaxes with the fragrance. And keeps him in good mood." She said bashfully as red coloured her cheeks, which Shetukala missed.

" Oh! Good mood. Hmmm. " She murmured. "Uhm , Boudi! Does it relax mind of everyone? I mean do all men like this smell?" She bit her lip nervously, as she put the floating candles on the brass water container.

" Hmm....I think so. Anyways, so many candles are left. Shetukala , why don't you use them? These ones smell of lavender , its good for sound sleep. You should use a few." She said as she pointed towards a particular set of candles.

" Me?"

" Yes. Take them. "

"Okay."

Shetukala took the box of candles and brought them to her room. She inhaled the candles again and closed her eyes as the sweet smell soothed her senses.
" Should I put some in his room too? No, no! Last time I had messed with his books , he almost threw a fit. Why is he so obsessed with the arrangement of things in his room? 'The medicines should be arranged alphabetically. The books' spine should be outwards of the book shelf, those too in alphabetical order. The clothes are also to be arranged in a specific array.' " She mimicked in Batakrishna's voice as she roamed in the room with hands on her waist and then laughed.

"Even if a single thing is moved from his place, he wouldn't sleep before correcting it's place. " She kept talking to herself, until she heard the horn of his motorcycle and dropped the idea of putting candles in his room. "No, no bad idea."

***
"Batuk, atleast change the clothes first."

" No , boudi. I'll just finish the meal and go straight to bed. I'm very tired today."

Batakrishna had his dinner and went towards his room as he remembered his confrontation with Shetukala at the terrace. He thought to look for her before sleeping. She might have not slept yet, and even if she did, he would just see her and come back.

As soon as he knocked at the door, it opened slightly. He peeked into it cautiously and called out her name, but was met with silence.

A strong aroma of lavender and citron blossom blending into each other invaded his nostrils enchanting him as he stepped inside.

He was surprised when he saw the whole room was decorated with colourful scented candles and the lights were dim, making the ambience dewy and sensual.

"Is someone preparing for a wedding night or what?" He chuckled.

He made a rough circle in the room examining this changed ambience until the bathroom door opened and he stiffened.

He heard her soft humming as she stepped out rubbing her wet hair with a towel. She hadn't yet noticed him, lost in the task at hand.

"Shetu!" His voice startled her. She was relieved that she was fully clothed. What is he doing here at this hour? Well, not that she minded.

She could make out his silhouette coming towards her. Batakrishna gulped at her sight as he saw her all fresh and bathed under the dancing dim yellow light, which brought a pristine glow on her face.

Her eyes were curious, and the thick eyelashes fluttered to manage her vision in the dimly lit room. The diamond stud on her small nose reflected the light, twinkling like a star. Her full, plump lips were pulled in a confused pout and her head tilted a bit on her right rubbing the water of her hair.

"Daktar Babu! You , here." She shifted on her feet as his intense gaze made her heart flutter.

He came towards her spellbound and brushed back her damp hairlocks behind her ear which were partially curtaining her face, thus blocking his view of hers.

She shivered under his touch as his warm fingers brushed on her cold skin. The water dripping from her hair was wetting her white saree making it more transparent on her chest, leaving very less to his imagination.

Her gaze flickered at the ground as he reduced the distance between them, standing very close to her that his hot breath was fanning her cheek. "I can't come to your room?" He said in a deep voice.

"Uhm...No--"

"No?"

"No! I mean you can."

"Okay." He said as the fingers that had brought her hairlocks backwards traced her skin behind her ear making a turn on her cheek . He feathered his knuckles on her jawline , making her close her eyes.

"You look beautiful. Breathtaking infact. " He said in a husky tone as his other hand grabbed her bare right shoulder, in his warm grip, arising a ripple of goose bumps on her body.

Her breathing fastened as he tried more to close the distance between them. Her legs automatically shifted backwards until her back hit the bathroom door and the towel fell from her hand.

"Where will you run now?" He caged her between his arms and dipped his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling the aroma of her freshly showered body and hair.

The smell of sandalwood from her hair and fruity citrus from her body, worked as an aphrodisiac to his olfactory senses meddling with this brain.

"Mmmmm.... you smell so good." He nuzzled the soft skin of her neck.

"Da-Daktar babu!" Her voice came out as a strangled whisper as she clutched the sleeve of his navy blue shirt as she feared she would soon collapse under his effect.

"Hmm." He said against her damp hair in which his face was submerged, whiffing the tantalising scent of her hair. The coolness of water droplets in her locks couldn't dampen the burning desire in his body.

His thumb caressed her right bare shoulder in small circles as he placed a soft kiss on her left side of the neck. She gripped both his sleeves in tight grip, which seemed to encourage him further.
"Why did you take bath at this hour? Hmm?"

"I.... I c-cleaned the room today. So I was all co-covered in dust." She stammered under the effect of his soft kisses on her neck as his lips travelled further to her chin.

" Aahh!" She moaned as he sucked her chin in a firm grasp of his lips maddening her , and she arched her head back giving him compelete access. Her hands ascended further to his shoulders and further more to encircle around his neck until they finally submerged in his soft hair at the back of his neck.

His hands mirrored her actions until they came up to cup the sides of her neck tilting it at a desired angle. His lips closed the distance between them as they crashed on hers in a ravenous hunger , wrenching them apart as his tongue invaded her warm mouth caressing and fondling her tongue eagerly.

Their grips tightened around each other as they ravished the exciting flavours of each other. They pulled apart for air, their hot breaths fanning each other's face and their hearts pounding in the chests threatening to break the rib cage.

"Wha-why did you burn these scented candles?" He whispered dangerously against her mouth.

"I....I...to make.....your.....moo-mood." She fumbled at her words as her mind was spinning with the thundering kiss.

Batakrishna's eyes widened as he heard her words. She wasn't usually this open to him, unless drunk of course.

" You have succeeded with flying colours I must say." He said as he bent down and scooped her up by placing his arms below her knees and her waist
making her yelp in surprise.

He went to the bed and threw her from his arms as she bounced on the soft bed. He didn't give her another chance to open her mouth as he crashed his lips again on hers relishing the taste of her soft plump lips. His hands roamed over her arms as his weight crushed her , making her breathless but she cared less.

His kisses escalated more fanatic and descended to the front of her throat. He shifted his weight partially on the bed , and slowly removed her saree unsheathing her softness from under him.

His zealous gaze drank the view of her firm but soft round globes looking almost golden as the cream of her skin melted under the yellowish-orange tint of the flames of candles.

Her eyes were closed and lips parted , as his fingers brushed her taut nipples and his tongue traced the contour of the brown aureole, making her shiver. " Shetu! Oh god! You are making me crazy as hell."

His deep voice resonated against her chest as it heaved up and down with shallow breaths.

"Mm-Hmm." She hummed incoherently
as he dipped his lips on her bare breast latching the perky nub between his teeth unable to hold himself longer. He twisted it gently but painful enough to earn an 'aah' from her lips.

His big hand grabbed the other mound in his grasp and squeezed it.
Shetukala was a complete moaning mess as he repeated his ministrations on the other one.

His kisses tracked down her midriff as he placed wet kisses on her belly and his tongue swirled in her belly button.

"Aaah!" She moaned and clutched his hair in tight grip when he bit softly on the supple skin of her stomach as he kept removing the saree until she was just left in her petticoat.

He unfastened the tassel of her petticoat with his right hand as the left one kept torturing her breasts.

The hold of the petticoat loosened on her waist and he dipped his hand inside to find her 'seam' wet and slippery in her desire. He pulled himself upwards without removing his hand from under her petticoat as he rubbed the swollen nub of nerves coating it with her wetness.

His lips found hers and he nibbled them hungrily. She tilted her body sideways making his fingers sandwich between her clenched thighs. The friction amplified in this position, as his strokes increased in strength.

Shetukala opened his shirt buttons with faltering fingers and parted the front panels of his shirt as much as she could with his suspenders in place. She caressed the hard ridges of his pectorals with both hands aimlessly roaming them on his body. His chest was heaving with quick breaths.

"Ohhh Shetu!" He groaned as she encircled her finger around his nipple and twisted his hardened small nub. She cupped the side of her neck, and placed open mouth kisses on his Adam's apple making it bob up and down under her lips.

"I want you ple--Aaahh! " She said as he pushed her slightly on her back, making space between her thighs and thrusted a thick finger in her core.

"I want you too Shetu. I can't tell you how much I crave for you." He groaned and joined his second finger inside her , his strokes taking a faster pace.

Shetukala gripped the nape of his neck with both hands and writhed in pleasure. She pulled him closer to her body, her face digging in his neck.

When his fingers pumped her insides, in a maddening pace, she felt a tight knot in her stomach begging for release. He rubbed smooth slippery circles on her clitoris, taking her to the edge.

"oomphhhhh!!!!" Her teeth plunged in his skin at his neck as he tapped his thumb on her hardened nub and twisted his fingers in a 'come here' motion, making her fall from the cliff of climax.

"Aaah! Shetu!" He yelped shortly and gritted his teeth to stifle his scream at the sharp indentation of her teeth on his skin. He removed his fingers from under her petticoat and cupped her jaw and kissed her fiercely branding her lips with his hot ones.

"Batakrishna , please. I.... I... need---"

"I need you too, Shona. So so much." He kissed her again as he unbuttoned his trouser, in a hurry and pulled out his hardened member from the captivity of his pants, while trying to remove them.

But the movement was inhibited by the suspenders which were still in place keeping them tucked to his waist. He pulled them quickly from the belt hooks of his pants and threw them on the floor on by one, making a clanking sound of the steel hooks.

As soon as the sound of falling of suspenders echoed in the silent room, Shetukala's eyes clenched tightly , her heart began to throb loudly inside her chest.

Oh no! Oh no! It's happening again!
The belts falling....
The heavy breaths.....
The crushing weight on her body....
It's happening again.....
It's happening again....

~It's him. He won't hurt you.

He won't?

~He won't.

But this is scary.

~How would he feel if you deny at this point? Remember what happened last time.

Last time 'he' said....

~ Yes, 'he' said you are a damn tease.

But he won't . He understands me. Krishna understands me.

~ What if he felt bad? He has done so much for you. This is the least you can do for him. Give him what he wants. You also want it. Don't you?

But... But.... He would never do it without me wanting it.

~But you said you want this, to him just now. You said you need him.

I did?

~ You did. Now you can't back off. Don't be a 'tease' again.

I don't feel good suddenly.

~He won't hurt you. Let it happen. He is not like them. Maybe this would make you forget what you felt last time.

But.... But.....

Suddenly when she felt hard flesh on her vagina, Shetukala's eyes watered, and her throat felt like sandpaper, so parched, so rough as if someone has filled sand in her voice box jamming it. Her brain started screaming in protest but her voice was lost. Her nails dug into his shoulder , drawing blood.

Her breaths turned frenzy and her heart beat like a raging woodpecker drumming on a tree. She fell into a whirlpool of blurry images, her eyes rolled back in her socket.

Ugly laughters and noises of skin slapping skin swooshed inside her ears, making her deaf to anything else.

Batakrishna felt her thighs convulsing violently as soon as he touched her bare flesh with his member, he looked at her face which was clouded by his own shadow against the flickering candles, making her expression invisible.

He moved himself away, and gripped her thighs to stop them from trembling. "Shetu!"

"Shetu!" He moved towards her face , removing his hands from her shoulders.

"Shetu! What happened? Shetu?" He patted her cheeks, vehemently.

Shetukala came out of the haunting daze , sweat droplets bathing
her whole body. Her breaths disoriented and her chest heaved violently up and down.

"No, no Shetu! Don't breathe so fast. Listen, listen."

Shetukala's eyes snapped open, and as her eyes lowered and took in the sight of his naked shaft , she recoiled frantically , away from him. She looked at her naked self, her loosened peticoat was bunched around her waist and she gave out a death curdling scream which was shortly muffled by Batakrishna's hand.

"Shetu! Don't shout. Please. Sorry. I'm sorry. We won't do it. Relax relax. "

Her eyes widened as she saw a tall figure towering over her smothering her mouth, not able to make out his face in the dim lights. Her kicks and thrashes turned fanatic as she tried to get out of his grip.

She bit painfully with all her force in his palm making him remove it, to scream loudly. But in the nick of time, he put his another hand on her mouth.

"Don't shout. Don't shout. I won't do anything. It's me, Shetu. It's me Batakrishna. Your krishna. Shetu. Please listen to me."

As if his words were a soothing balm to her burning heart, her eyes relaxed and her movements faltered. Her hands rummaged om the bed to grab the comforter. Batakrishna saw her struggle and covered her body, and tucked himself back into his trousers.

Shetukala gripped the comforter upto her chin and tucked it's corners under body , making a cocoon of herself but her eye were unfocused. "Please don't do this to me. I won't do it again. Don't....do...I... won't....please...." She murmured incoherently, trembling under the covers.

" Shetu! Listen. Shona. Nobody----" He moved his hand towards her forehead to comfort her.

"Noooooo!" She brought her right arm in front of her eyes in defense as if protecting herself from the impending hit.

His hand remained suspended in air as his heart broke at the thought of her flinching from his touch. Was she thinking that I would hit her?

Shetukala covered her body upto forehead and murmured incoherent No's and apologies and pleas to leave her.

Crestfallen Batakrishna didn't have in himself to comfort her anymore. His presence was appearing to be more harmful for her.

He went to wake up Subhalaxmi to her room and explained her the situation. After giving the medicines and making sure that Subhalaxmi won't leave her until she gets normal, he went to his room heartbroken.

Subhalaxmi went to Shetukala who was trembling under the sheets.

"Shetukala!"

Shetukala kept on murmuring her frantic gibberish.

"Listen, Shetukala" She removed her sheets slowly and removed her hair from her face, and wiped her forehead with a wet towel.

"Shetukala , look at me. Ami Subha! Tomar Subha didi. "

Shetukala looked at her with groggy eyes and hid her face in her abdomen sobbing. "Please didi , save me. Save me , please."

" It's okay, Shetukala. Nobody will harm you. Shotti. See I'm here."

She made her sit and gulp down propranolol (drug) to calm her down and made her lie down again . Within an hour Shetukala's palpitations dampened and heartbeat normalised. It was about 2 am when she woke up from a brief exhausted collapse.

She looked around her here and there and saw Subhalaxmi writing something sitting on the bed against the headboard.

"Didi." She whispered.

"Shetukala. You woke up? How are you feeling now? Hmm?" She asked as she checked her pulse.

"I'm ..... I..... We ...." She talked incoherently and then remembered the scenario that happened just a while back. Her eyes widened and she smacked her lips with her hands in shock as she realised the conundrum she had caused.

She had hurt terribly the only person who understood and cared for her the most. She started crying covering her face under her palms. "What did I do? What did I do? I .... What would he think? What.... would ....he say?"

" Relax, relax shetukala. Don't, don't cry. Take deep breath .... Yes.... Now in....and out...Yes.....very good..." She got relieved as she took deep breaths.

"Didi, he would be so so mad at me. What do I do? Does he even want to talk to me?"

"Shetu! Don't worry. He will be fine,..." She hesitated . "... I guess. You should sleep, now."

"No, didi. Even you know, he won't be fine. I....I should talk to him."

Subhalaxmi pondered over it a for a moment and nodded. " Okay. If you think so. Shall I come with you to talk to him? "

" No, I'll go. Thank you."

" Ok. I'll wait here." She nodded.

***

Batakrishna came to his room defeated and devastated as the horrible scene replayed infront of his eyes again and again. How could he get so carried away in his carnal desires, that he forgot her comfort? How could he be so selfish that he hurt her to fulfil his needs? He should have known better. Handled better. Done better. She is so fragile like a porcelain doll. Even a slightest blow of wind can break her. He should have been careful in her case.

He just prayed that he didn't traumatise her more, than she already was. Just today she shared her pain, her grief of losing her unborn child few hours ago and there he was making her relive her traumatic memories.

Couldn't he just keep his hands away from her pants? And bloody himself into his own?

An abandoned stream of tears ran in his hairline as he laid on the bed straight staring at the ceiling.

Suddenly, he heard his door creaking open slowly, and he stilled. Who could be here at this hour?

"Daktar babu?" A very soft whisper, was audible from the door. "Are you awake?"

Batakrishna closed his eyes tight laid still without making any sound. Why had she come? He couldn't take her confrontation right now.

She would go soon when she finds he is sleeping. He waited for a few minutes. The door was not closed yet.

The faint moonlight falling in the room made Shetukala see his figure lying on the bed straight in the middle.

She neared the bed, and sat on its edge. " Daktar babu? Did you sleep?"

Batakrishna's breathing fastened and his heart thumped in dreadful anticipation as he realised she is shifting towards him.

"I know you are not sleeping. Don't pretend You can't sleep straight. You have this habit of sleeping on your belly with your hands spread and one leg bent at the knee." She said softly, as she caressed his forehead.

Batakrishna flinched from her touch and since his pretence broke, there was no benefit faking. He turned to his right side facing away from her.

Shetukala lowered herself in the space made by him. He lied on his side stiffly , his hands in tight fist, were clenched to his chest .

Where should he keep his hands? What should he do now? Should he send her back? Or let her stay and himself go?

Then he felt her lying down behind him. Her arm came around his waist and her front touched his back as she scooted behind him. Her very soft right cheek came in contact with his left one.

She felt his skin wet and caressed his cheeks wiping his tears.

"Krishna." She whispered in his ear and laid down back touching her cheek with his again. " I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

His eyes furrowed as he listened to her voice, full of regret and agony.
He should be the one asking sorry not her.

Then he felt her tears falling on his bridge of nose. He restrained himself from turning over and hug her and tell her that he can't see tears in her eyes.

She moved her hand on towards his chest and gripped his tightened fist in her small fingers.

"What do I do Krishna?" She sniffled as her voice broke. " I am so trapped in my mind. I can neither live in the past nor in the present. Future is beyond my thought process, so uncertain it is. My past memories haunt me so much, I can't tell you. Nothing is clear, everything is so confusing that the lines between the past and present blur so profusely, that it becomes so so frightening. I'm so afraid of them , Krishna." She said and sniffled.

A pregnant silence followed . He would have thought that she slept had he not felt her tears still streaming down his bridge of nose. His own tears joined her trial.

" I can't even imagine how much I hurt you. I didn't want to push you but it's like my mind had two voices, and they were playing a tug of war with my sanity until I snapped at you losing it."

Shetukala could feel his chest moving up and down briskly. " Are you listening to me Krishna? Am I making sense?"

He gripped her hand which was holding his left fist with his right one as an affirmation.

Shetukala took a deep breath fanning warmth against his lips and cheeks, soothing him.

They laid like this for sometime, when he asked cautiously, " Why didn't you say no? Do you think I would have forced you even after you denied?"

" No, no. It's nothing like that." She shook her head rubbing her cheek against his in process and hugged him tighter. " I didn't think that way. I just thought that..... "

" What? "

" That you would think that I'm a tease and I'm playing hard to get. And you would find it unattractive."

His eyes widened and he turned in a whiplash, making her lie on her back and he was half hovering her. " Whta the----Why would you think that? Did I make you feel ever that I just want your body? And would drift apart if you won't give it to me?" He said concerningly as he cupped her cheeks.

" No, Krishna. It's nothing like that. I'm.... He.... Said.... That..... Once..... That.... I'm.... He..... Is very bad..... Krishna..... He..... I am so.... so sorry for hurting you. " She sobbed and hiccupped and turned a sobbing mess within seconds.

"Hey , hey. Shh..... Shh.... You don't have to explain okay. It was .. it was my mistake. I should have been careful. Should have made sure about your comfort? Should have a taken your verbal consent." He said as he rubbed her arm and wiped her tears with his free hand.

"No, its not your mistake. I had ... I had said my will consciously but I changed my mind in between when I heard your suspenders clanking on the floor. It reminded of the sound of belts falling on that night. And then a very complicated web of thoughts and flashes started in my mind. I couldn't speak anything. My tongue , it felt like. A heavy sword to lift. Also I feared what would you feel. I wanted to give you what you wanted. I just couldn't say no...... It's not your fault ,shotti..... it's.... " She sobbed and sniffed and dug her face against his chest turning on her side.

" Calm down, calm down. You don't have to explain. Its alright. What I want is your happiness, Shona. Nothing less, nothing more. I'm sorry if I made you feel like that."

" Krishna, you are not mad at me! Haina? " She said as she looked into his eyes in the faint moonlight.

" I can never be made at you, sweetheart." He hugged her tighter to his chest.

" Krishna? "

" Hmm? "

"Aaa....aaa....Ami apnake bhalobashi."

Batakrishna's heart galloped in ecstasy as he heard her love confession, and he pulled her back and said," What ! What did you say? And dare you pretend to deny know? " He threatened comically.

Shetukala giggled and brought her lips in contact with his ear, " Ami apnake bhalobashi. Onek onek Bhalobashi."

He looked into her eyes , and cupped her face on one side with his palm and said, " Shetu, Amio tomake bhalobashi. Khub khub khub khub khub...." She started giggling ".... bhalobashi. I love you so so much. More than anything else in this world." He pecked her lips softly and lingered longer on them.

"Shetu, you said you
..uhm.. remember a few things? And are conflicted between your past memories?"

"Hmm."

" There is something in my mind, which could help. I'm not very sure. But we can try it."

"Ohkay."

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Why don't you get some sleep? It's very late. Tomorrow is kola bou snan. It will be a long day for you. Hmm?"

"Okay."

"Come, I'll take you to your room. I'll tell Subha to sleep with you." He tried to move to sit but she held him in place.

"Why?"

" What?" His face had a confused expression.

"Won't you let me sleep with you? You said you are not mad at me . Then why are you sending me to my room? " She asked with a childish whine in her voice.

Batakrishna chuckled and kissed her cheek and then her forehead. "Haan, Baba. You are sleeping with me , okay. "

" Don't be mad at me ever, please. I'm sorry. " She murmured.

"Never shona. Now sleep. No more apologies. " He held her tighter to his chest.

Shetukala shifted downwards so that her ear was against his heart as she counted in sync with his heartbeat before she drifted to deep slumber.

Glossary---

Kola bou snan-- On the day of Saptami, i. e. the seventh day , a banana tree is worn saree representing the nine important trees of heaven and is called Ganesha's wife.

The tree is bathed in ganga , made wear a saree and placed beside Ganesha and then nine gods are worshipped, followed by Bramha, Vishnu , Mahesh , the Trinity; and then Lakshmi , Saraswati and kartik in order.

Do tell me how the chapter was.

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I've tried to keep the vocabulary simple this time. 🙈

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